Manliness

I have nothing against manliness, and sort of like it, but Harvard professor Harvey Mansfield's new book, subtly titled Manliness, deserves some ribbing.

Manliness, in Mansfield's view, is a virtue and, of course, can only be achieved by being male. I always am suspect of convenient virtues, like heterosexual Christians proclaiming that homosexuality is immoral. Oops, forget about lying, killing and cheating and the Ten Commandments, as that might apply to me. Anyway, back to Harvey.

"Though it's clear that women can be manly, it's just as clear that they are not as manly or as often manly as men."

Give me a break. The Post review is here and the NT Times review here.